Monthly Archives: August 2014

**** I must apologise if this puzzle is missing something. There was medical emergency in our family that cut my preparation time short **** The Stickler for this week is now available. Please select your preferred solving format. The solution … Continue reading →

I was reminded a few weeks back that as a setter I must not only cater for a huge range of solvers with different abilities but consider where people may be at in their lives and what experiences they may … Continue reading →

**** Just a reminder that a “?” at the end of a Stickler clue can mean that language abuse is being used. That is, some part of the clue is technically incorrect and must be unravelled. If language abuse is … Continue reading →

I’ve been solving cryptic crosswords since I was 15 – that’s almost 40 years. I compiled my first published crossword in my 20s in a staff magazine and considered myself a professional setter in my early 30s. Those early compiling … Continue reading →

**** There is a bonus clue for 4-down in this week’s puzzle. It’s accessible directly in the online version – the PDF version doesn’t have it, but it is accessible here. **** The Stickler for this week is now available. … Continue reading →

About the Setter

David Stickley has been writing crosswords professionally since 1995. His cryptic puzzle, The Stickler, reached number 4786 before being axed in July 2013 due to cutbacks. David has been published in the NYT and the UK's FT.